The Czech government expressed its regret on Monday that Roma women were
sterilised in the past without their full consent. A spokesman said the move
was not an apology since the government could not apologise for the
individual mistakes of certain doctors. Minister for Human Rights and
Minorities, Michael Kocáb, said that safeguards had been drawn up to make
sure such a step could not happen in the future.

The number of Roma women who were sterilised in the Czech Republic after
1990 is not clear. Around 80 women complained to the Czech ombudsman Otakar
Motejl. He found that women were not properly informed about the step they
were taking and could not therefore be said to have given their full
consent.